


Of Sunlight and Oceans

by boats_birds



Series: KagaKuro Week 2016 [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, in which Kagami can't live without his shadow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:18:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8440036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boats_birds/pseuds/boats_birds
Summary: Kuroko was breathtaking in the morning, Kagami’s lungs could attest to that.
And it just wasn’t the same when seen through the pixelated screen of his computer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I like to think about Kagami moving back to America, and him and Kuroko having to deal with being in a long distance relationship, and all the heartache that goes with not being able to see each other everyday anymore. In other words, I like pain.
> 
> For the prompt: Challenge  
> Timeline-wise: Around their second year of college

Kagami was convinced Kuroko was at his most beautiful in morning sunlight.

Kuroko looked beautiful in every kind of light. His hair caught like candy threads in the bright California sun. His eyes glowing like a watercolor painting with a thousand stars overhead. His pale skin flushing a warm pink while the sunset sky burned red.

But none of them were like seeing Kuroko in the morning. When the world was soft and quiet, pale yellow light drifting through blinds and dust moats to caress Kuroko’s eyelashes. The blue of his hair and soul washed out before the world was awake, waiting to grow vibrant. It seemed every morning Kuroko would slowly light up, like Kagami’s own personal rising sun.

Kuroko was breathtaking in the morning, Kagami’s lungs could attest to that.

And it just wasn’t the same when seen through the pixelated screen of his computer.

Kagami tapped his fingers impatiently on his laptop as he plugged in his headphones, waiting for the fuzzy quality of their call to improve. He reached over to flick on the lamp, light cutting through the room so his own face was illuminated in the little square of his video preview. Then he made himself comfortable, reclining back against the headboard of his bed while his laptop balanced on his thighs, and waited for a certain lazy ass to properly wake up.

It took a moment, as it always did with Kuroko, who had a habit of answering video calls then burrowing himself back under his comforter. A shuffle of blankets, discernable lump underneath making sleepy groans and shifting to hide from the sunlight sneaking in, until a mess of blue hair popped out from underneath. Kuroko stretched wide, as if his little body could take up any significant amount of space, and scratched at his wild bedhead.

“Good evening, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko finally yawned.

He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “Morning, sleepyhead.”

He watched the video shake and move as Kuroko rearranged himself, then settled into his pillows, half of his face obscured by the ridiculous blanket nest tugged around him. His eyes were still closed, but Kagami knew he was listening by his little answering hums. It was so cute Kagami very nearly took a screenshot right then and there, but he settled for laughing under his breath and committing it to memory.

“How was your day?” Kuroko yawned again, snuggling further into his pillow pile.

When Kuroko asked him how his day went, it was more than just a question. It was a genuine interest, a sincere concern over what he did and how he felt. That was just one of the thousand amazing things about Kuroko. He could take such a simple question, one that anyone could ask, and make Kagami feel like he was special because of it.

Kagami shrugged, computer jostling with the movement. “I’m pretty sure I failed my history exam.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised, Kagami-kun. Captain would be most displeased to hear this though.”

“Captain wouldn’t care about this kind of bullshit! No one cares about early American settlements!”

Kuroko’s laugh wasn’t nearly as light and airy when cranked through the shitty, muffled quality of his headphones. But it still sent his stomach reeling like a rollercoaster loop, his heart automatically speeding to match its pace. After all, there was no other sound in the world quite like it.

“And how was practice?” Kuroko asked next.

“Good,” Kagami said. Hesitated. “A little hard, y’know, without my shadow. But it was good.”

“That’s good,” Kuroko said, then peeked one eye open at him. “But you must be losing your touch, if you need your shadow to come and help you.”

Kagami rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “I’ve always needed my shadow. I’m not a light without him, dumbass.”

There was a pause, then Kuroko opened his other eye and just stared. Kagami wasn’t even sure if those too blue eyes were looking at him or somewhere past him where he couldn’t see. Then Kuroko sighed, a quiet noise, and clutched his pillow closer to his chest.

“I know. I’m not a shadow without my light either.”

In that moment, Kagami could almost feel Kuroko curled up next to him, lined against him perfectly complementary. It was like there was no distance, as if the only thing that could fit between them was sunbeams and soft breaths. His arm twitched instinctively to wrap around a waist that was over five thousand miles away.

Kagami cleared his throat. “So, how’d you sleep?”

“Mm, I had nice dreams,” Kuroko said, with a smile that had Kagami’s fingers curling.

“What kind of nice dreams?”

“The kind about you.”

If it were any other time, Kagami was certain there’d be a blush on his face and a stutter in his throat. But instead there was just a warm pull in his joints, a desperation in his muscles to be beside Kuroko instead of just a figment in his dream. He always wanted to be with Kuroko, he blamed destiny or fate or whatever the hell higher power made them so perfect for each other. But it was nearly unbearable when Kuroko sounded so wispy and _happy_.

“I miss you…”

Kuroko stilled, then slowly looked up and Kagami was drowning, lost in midafternoon sky blue. Those wide eyes weren’t droopy with sleep anymore, far from it. They were so focused and intense, like Kuroko truly believed he could reach across oceans with eye contact alone. Maybe Kagami believed it too, for how he couldn’t look away.

A dozen conversations were held in somber silence. Things that could wait, things about tomorrow, things they couldn’t say. It almost choked him.

Then Kuroko smiled, something soft and sad. “I miss you too…”

He nearly reached out and touched his screen, ran his finger along the blurry line of Kuroko’s jaw. It shouldn’t have been possible, to feel so close and so far from a person at the same time, and yet that’s exactly where they were. Kuroko was right in front of him, having a conversation with him and looking at him and breathing with him, but Kuroko was also living fourteen hours ahead of him, looking at a different sky than his and living a different life than his.

He thought he’d be used to it by now. And that was what killed him the most.

He’d moved back to America for his basketball scholarship over a year ago already, hugged Kuroko so tight it was a wonder both their ribcages didn’t break, and refused to say goodbye because he hated how final such a small word sounded. He almost didn’t want to go, but Kuroko insisted that this was good for him, good for his future. And Kuroko promised him they would make it work, that they wouldn’t let continents be the end of them, and Kagami had faith in that little back like he always did.

But it just _never got any **easier**_ **.**

There were still days that he woke up and expected a light weight on his chest, only to realize there was nothing but an empty ache. There were still days that he unthinkingly said he was going out for a while, only to realize there was no one there listening. And there were still days that he just wanted to curl up and deal with everything tomorrow, only to realize it would all be the same.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat, tried to subtly wipe at his eyes by scrubbing over his face. He knew from the look on Kuroko’s face, the slump in his shoulders and the wet shine in his eyes, that he didn’t do a good job. Fuck, he wasn’t supposed to make Kuroko worry with his emotional bullshit.

He took a deep breath and grinned. “I’ll call you in the evening, okay?”

“Okay… But make sure you don’t wake up too early, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko said, slowly, as if he were afraid words could break him.

“Yeah, yeah, coming from the guy who probably considers noon to be early,” Kagami scoffed.

Silence fell over them again, its gravity making the air heavy in his room. Kagami had to force his body to cooperate as he made a fist with his hand, then reached to gently tap the screen with his knuckles. This time his smile was sincere.

“Have a good day, Kuroko. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Kagami-kun?” Kuroko suddenly said, voice urgently loud, as if the world were ticking down and he only had a few seconds left.

Kagami blinked. “Yeah?”

“Everything will be alright. I promise.”

Then swallowed. “…I know.”

Kuroko nodded, seemingly satisfied, then whispered, “Goodnight, Kagami-kun. Have pleasant dreams.”

It took all of his willpower to press the red disconnect button, to watch as the image of Kuroko faded to black. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, just staring at a blank screen. He wasn’t sure when he started crying either.

And yet, even though he was upset, even though he was still wiping at his eyes, even though there was a good chance Kuroko was just as distressed as him. Kagami knew they’d be okay, one way or another. Even if it didn’t get easier until the very moment they were together again, breathing the same air and arms tangled in excitement, they’d be okay.

Because that’s how they had always worked. Through all they had struggled—Kuroko’s desire to save his friends, Kagami’s past that caught up with him, their shared baggage—they had made it together. So if they had to fight every day together, surviving on texts and video calls and short visits during the holidays, then that’s exactly what they would do.

Sure, being this far apart was difficult, but neither of them had ever been known to back down from a challenge.

When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed of daybreak eyes and cotton candy laughs, thin arms anchoring him to the ground with warm strength, and a gentle voice saying, “I’m here. _I’m here_.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I promise I'm still making my way through the prompts, slowly but surely! It's just hard for me to focus on writing lately (or anything really, BUT Y'KNOW). Since the event was extended to November 6th, I'm gonna try to have one fic done each day. We'll see how that goes! Thank you as always for reading~! <3


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